Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 1.djvu/802

580 General Summers was recommended for promotion to full rank as a brigadier-general, and Capt. J. F. Case to the rank of major, for conspicuous service on General Lawton's staff as engineering officer. Major-General Otis recommended that each of these officers be given a brevet of the rank recommended, which was done by President McKinley.

After reaching Manila, and preparing for the home voyage, the regiment was sent on another brief campaign to Laguna de Bay, in the direction of Morong. Many of the men were unfit for field service then, after their arduous campaigning in the north; but those qualified in Companies A, B, C, D, E, G, H, I, K and M, were taken by General Summers to General Hall's brigade. June 2d the brigade marched out of Manila toward Maraquina, and the morning of June 3d swept down into the valley before daylight. There was a desultory fire for most of the morning without casualties. In the afternoon the column, led by Troop I, Fourth Cavalry, and the Second Oregon, entered ambush back of Taytay, in which a few minutes of vigorous fighting drove the enemy from their encompassing hills. In this issue one private of the Oregon men was killed and three wounded, while the Fourth Cavalry lost more. Next day the column pressed on to Morong, driving the scattering Filipino forces before them, and the following day the regiment embarked on cascoes and were towed back to Manila and ordered to prepare for embarkation on transports at once.

Seventy-five men of the regiment elected to remain in the Philippines, and were given discharge papers there. The remainder embarked on the Ohio and Newport, transports, June 12 and 13, headquarters and the First Battalion being on the Newport. Nagasaki .was reached June 19, and San Francisco July 12, after an uneventful voyage. Prior to departure from Manila, the regiment had been given a vote on the issue in which city it preferred to be mustered out. This vote was for San Francisco. War department officials had not informed the Oregon people of this election, and perhaps the greatest reception ever planned return" ing troops was being made by the patriotic residents of the state at Portland ancj Astoria. When San Francisco was reached, the members of the regiment did not know anything about the extensive reception planned in Oregon, and again expressed a desire to be mustered out in San Francisco. The keenest disappointment experienced during the whole war was caused by this fact, as the Oregon people wanted to receive the regiment first, and had chartered a great flotilla of boats and river craft for a triumphal procession up the Columbia river.

From July 13 to August 8, the work of mustering out progressed rapidly, and on the last dates, two special trains were chartered for such members of the regiment as were northbound. These were met at the state border by Governor Geer and his staff, and escorted northward to their respective destinations, the main body coming on through to Portland, where, on August 9th, a rousing reception was given the home troops at the Union depot, and a great banquet was spread in the armory as a welcome home. General Summer's last act as commander was on Multnomah field, where he turned over to the state officials the stand of colors borne by the regiment throughout the campaigns, in a touching address.

Seven men were recommended for medals of honor in the regiment, five of them being in the scout organization. These were Lieutenant Thornton, Company B, and Privates Lyons and Robertson, of the same company, Frank C. High, of Company G, and M. B. Huntlet of Company L. These men were later awarded medals, the recommendation having been made by Captain Birkenheimer. General Summers recommended Sergeant-Major Marshall and Private Smith of Company F for medals.

At a later date all the remains of Oregon dead in the Philippines, both from bullet wounds and sickness, except those who died of smallpox, were ordered home at federal government expense. Portland gave to this string of sealed caskets the most solemn and impressive funeral service ever witnessed in the city. The caskets lay in state at the armory, draped in flags, a grand requiem service was held there, and on caissons the remains were conveyed to Riverview cemetery.